Give In to the Sweet Temptation
One-Two-Three-Four get your feet on the floor – just another catchy hook from BotD’s latest interviewee, Canada’s own Lillix. We caught up with the girls during their cross-country tour promoting their new album “Inside The Hollow”. Find out what makes Louise Burns (bass/vocals) and Lacey-Lee Evin (keyboard/vocals) tick in…
10 Questions with Lillix
- by Mattias and Dave-Os -
1. So “In The Hollow” just dropped. What are your favorite songs off the new album?
Lacey: Hmm. You go first [To Louise].
Louise: Changes all the time…
La: Changes all the time…
Lo: I said that the other day and someone thought it was a song title like “Oh, what’s that song about?” *laughs* It does though. Um…probably “Wishing Well” for me right now, though my favorite to play live is “Tempo Change.”
Mattias: That was the name of your album before, right?
La: Yeah, it was a temporary album name. We had to come up with a new bio really quickly and we were like “Oh, let’s call it ‘Tempo Change’” so you know, it was just a temporary thing. I like “Poor Little Girl”. I love listening to that song. I’m not just saying it ‘cause you wrote it Louise. *laughs* I listen to that one the most or “Got Off Easy” I listen to a lot.
2. When you guys are back in your hometown in B.C., what are your favorite things to do?
La: Shopping! *laughs*
Lo: We like to get our nails done and…*laughs* No. When I lived in Cranbrook, (I just moved here to Vancouver), I used to go horseback riding quite a bit so I’ve had to give up that habit unfortunately ‘cause you can’t really keep a horse in a studio apartment in the west end. But I like to go to shows, I’m getting into DJ-ing, and just writing music, and learning acoustic guitar – because I play bass.
La: Yeah, learning a new instrument.
Lo: Yeah, that’s a good thing.
La: We just rehearse most of the time when we’re down here.
Mattias: You’re getting into DJ-ing, eh? Do you DJ at clubs at all?
Lo: Well I did one night at Mod Club in Victoria. I’m really into 60’s music and a lot of soul, so I like to do that and lots of electro too. Like, we love The Presets, Ladytron, and The Faint, so hopefully I’m going to start doing that more, but it’s been more of a time constraint thing. It’s getting my records together – I haven’t really got it all together yet but I will. I will. *laughs*
Dave-os: Did you do any of that stuff on the album?
Lo: You can hear the influence. Lacey plays keyboards in the band, but The Faint has been a big influence on us and we tried to bring that into this record as well.
La: You can hear it on a couple of songs - the dancier songs.
3. I noticed on your message board that you have an “Ask Lillix” section. What do you think is the weirdest or stupidest question that anyone has ever asked on that?
Lo: Oh yeah. Lacey and I answer all of them.
La: Pretty much.
Lo: If she doesn’t answer it then I will and vice versa.
La: You know what? A guy had this one a couple years ago and it was like “pudding or pie?” And I know they were just trying to like have a go at me and I think I just said something like “neither.” But you have to just kind of answer them.
Lo: It’s like, “You know the answer to this. You don’t have to ask me,” you know?
La: Some of them are just either trying to make you mad or they’re just trying to talk to you - which is okay. That’s totally fine, but we have e-mail for that too.
Mattias: “Pudding or pie?” – That made you mad?
La: No, no, no, no, no, that didn’t make me mad. That actually made me smile.
Lo: But it was weird.
La: It was probably one of the weirdest.
Mattias: You know what the answer to that is? Both.
La: Yes, both. Preferably together…
Lo: A pudding pie?
Dave-os: That’s what I was thinking - That’s exactly what I was thinking.
Lo: A pudding pie. I have a great recipe. I do. *laughs*
4. Being an all girl band, do you have any creepy fan stories with guys?
Lo: Well, I think we actually have it quite easy. You hear a lot of stories for other bands who are incredibly successful who are all girls or all guys or mixed that [have to endure] stalkers and weird police restraints. But we’ve been pretty lucky.
La: Yeah.
Lo: We once had a fan call my house back in Cranbrook. That was really awkward. It was like, “Hello?” [in a creepy hillbilly voice]: “Hi. This is…” – I’m not going to name names, but I was like “Uhh, oookayy…. I gotta go; the girls are here. I gotta go rehearse.” It was bizarre.
La: [with creepy voice] “I found yer number on the Internet. Mah cat just had sum kittens!”
Lo: *laughs* Yeah, that happens a lot actually. “So I went to school the other day and this happened and this happened” and we’re like “yea, okaay….” We answer them all but when they actually call your house it’s kind of scary.
5. Having three vocalists, do you ever fight about who gets more face time in the videos or more vocal parts in the songs?
Lo: That’s funny you mention that. We actually do have a bit of a problem when we do videos because people think Tasha is the lead singer. It’s not like we get upset.
Mattias: She’s first, right? First in the “Sweet Temptation” video?
La: Yeah, Tasha sings the first verse.
Lo: And she’s very photogenic, obviously. [People] think “Blond hair – oh she must be the singer,” or “She’s holding a guitar – oh she must be the singer.” So we try with every director we work with, we let them know there are three singers. It’s not like a big deal; it’s not like we go backstage and are like “Tasha, stop hogging all the camera time!” It’s not like that. It’s not like we care but we do want to portray three equal singers. It wasn’t portrayed properly on the first album. With the “What I Like About You” video for example, we switch up vocals every line on that song, but the director was just like “No, Tasha you sing that line and you sing that line too. And Lacey, you can do one take of your thing, but just do a half-take.”
La: “Don’t even sing your part”
Mattias: Wow, did you get mad at him?
Lo: I didn’t care [at the time] because I hate being filmed but I was afterwards.
La: It just wasn’t the proper representation of our band. So that wasn’t fair.
Mattias: “Sweet Temptation” looks pretty even. Even Alicia gets good time.
La: Yeah, definitely. She is an equal part of the band too. It’s all about what we see as equal input musically, and we all write so we all just want to portray that.
6. Louise hates it when people clap at the end of movies. What’s the deal with that?
La: Everyone keeps bringing that up!
Lo: *laughs* It’s cheesy though. Where did I say that? Is that in my bio or something?
La: I think you put it in your bio.
Lo: Yeah, I think I put it in my bio. Yeah, I just think it’s annoying. It’s not like they can hear you. They can’t hear you appreciating their job.
La: If you were at the premier, that’d be a different thing because all the actors are there.
Lo: Yeah, I don’t know. It just makes me mad. It’s corny.
La: It’s lame!
Mattias: What was the last movie you were at where people clapped?
Lo: Um, “Little Miss Sunshine.”
La: *laughs* Awww….
Lo: People clapped for that one.
Dave-os: [To Mattias]: Oh, you clapped for that one.
Lo: I thought it was a great movie. Oh, did you? This interview’s over. No, I’m kidding.
La: *laughs*
Mattias: I did not clap for that one, but it was good.
Lo: That was a great movie, but I didn’t clap for it. And even when I watch an amazing movie at home, I wont sit there and go <while clapping> “God, that was amazing!” What’s the point, you know?
Mattias: The last movie I saw where people clapped, they also gave a standing ovation – it was at “The Corpse Bride.”
Lo: They gave a standing ovation? That’s lame. That was probably at the height of all that stuff with all the Hot Topic fans and Tim Burton fans, which we do fall under the category of. We do love Tim Burton and Johnny Depp in every form.
La: Yeah *giggles*.
Lo: But I didn’t give a standing ovation.
7. So what’s your favorite movie?
Lo: Uh, “Amelie.” I’m obsessed with “Amelie.” It’s my favorite movie. I actually have a couple. I like “Blowup” a lot too, which is a movie from the 1960’s. Very mod. It’s very cool. Lacey still has to see it.
La: I know. I have yet to see it.
Lo: It’s about a photographer who just photographs glamorous models and they’re all very style…
La: Is that the Marilyn Monroe one?
Lo: No, that’s “Some Like It Hot.” It’s not really my favorite, but that’s also a pretty cool movie. “Blowup” is a very, very period piece for the 60’s. The Yardbirds are playing in it at one point - that’s Jimmy Page’s first band, oh it’s such a cool movie. And there’s a crime, there’s like a mystery of the story underlying. It’s just great. You’ve got to see it.
La: I guess mine aren’t as cool as Louise’s, but…
Lo: *laughs*
La: I’d have to say I love “The Good Girl” with Jake Gyllenhaal. We didn’t know how to pronounce his name for the longest time so we called him Jake Gylly…
Lo: Jake Jilly Jolly Jilly…
Mattias: I used to say Glynol and people made fun of me.
La: *laughs* Yeah, I love “The Good Girl” and I love “Labyrinth” with David Bowie.
Mattias: That’s a good one.
Dave-os: It’s a classic.
La: Oh, I’m obsessed. *laughs* And “Never Ending Story.” I get those two mixed up.
8. Time for a Scenario: There’s a talking tiger and he asks you to play Truth or Dare…
Lo: Is this based on the book “Life of Pi” by any chance?
Dave-os: I don’t even know what that is.
Mattias: It’s kind of based on your old name.
Lo: Tigerlily?
La: Ohhhhhh. I was obsessed with tigers at that point.
Lo: Yeah you were. So what was the question again?
Dave-os: He asks you to play Truth or Dare; what would you pick?
Lo: Truth. I always tell the truth; I don’t care.
Dave-os: You’ve got to ask the tiger though.
Lo: Oh, to ask the tiger. What would I ask the tiger…Well I mean, what could a lion, er, lion *laughs* What could a tiger really admit that’s that big of a deal. “So tell me the truth. Do you really like the taste of antelope or are you just kidding?” But I don’t know, maybe I’d dare him to do something. It couldn’t be that harmful.
La: Dare him to do some trick jump or back flip or something.
Lo: *laughs* Dare to do a back flip? *laughs* Yeah, that’s your answer. We dare him to do a back flip. *laughs*
La: *laughs*
9. When you look in the mirror, who do you fear?
Lo & La: OoooOoooh.
Lo: That’s deep. That cuts like a knife…Well that line in the song is sort of referring to people with distorted body images because of the media that screws up their brains, so I guess sometimes you look in the mirror and you don’t like what you see because you’re like, “I don’t look like an Olsen twin!” So, that happens sometimes and I guess it’s just, I don’t know, you have days when you do fear that self-loathing that gets in the way of being a normal person and doing the things you need to do, just to get your day done, you know?
10. Who would you like to see next on Band of the Day?
Lo: Does it have to be a new band?
Dave-os: Any.
Lo: Ambulance Ltd. Not too many people know of them but I saw them at Coachella and they were amazing. They sound very Velvet Underground influenced, very shoegazer. They’re great.
La: I was going to say The Presets actually. A very dancey type band, good beats, they just toured with Ladytron from Australia. Yeah, they’re great.
Well there you have you Lillix lovers – they’d dare the tiger to do a backflip. And I don’t know about you, but If I were you, I’d do two things after reading this interview: First, the obvious one and go out to my local records shop and a pick up a copy of “Inside the Hollow” and Second, drop by my local vintage movie gallery and try to get my grubby hands on Louise’s favourite movie “Blowup”.
Love Yourself,
The BotD Team